Prioritize, Plan, Progress and Produce!

Most people, it seems, are not necessarily familiar with a top down planning and prioritizing approach. Or, said another way, when setting goals and objectives, there are elements that must be determined first. We all have goals and dreams about what we want to accomplish, but those goals will not be as effective if they are not tied directly to our life purpose and most important values. Often, when we ask people about their life purpose on our questionnaires, they have a tendency to struggle. The question concerning our life purpose just to feels too large and deep to define. But, it’s actually much easier to define than what you might think. It’s the sort of question you may have never considered before. But, again, it’s not that deep. All of us have some life purpose to fulfill. There is something we have to offer that is unique to us. It will always be something we enjoy and something that comes to us quite naturally. When we engage this life purpose, it will feel effortless to us and not like work at all. It will not necessarily change the world or save the world, but it will be something that helps make other people’s lives better. So, the question to ask yourself is, what do you do most often and most easily in order to help other people in some capacity? Maybe you thrive when encouraging people or helping them to get past their own limitations. Maybe you are good at making others feel happy or simply making folks laugh. The world certainly needs that. Perhaps you are an athlete and seek to reach the top of your game as a platform to have your voice heard. Whatever it is, your life purpose should be the starting point for establishing any goals of priorities.

The next most logical step in your planning involves your values. What are your highest priority values? Your values will drive your behavior. Do you value integrity? If so, you are most likely to insist that things are done in the right way without compromise or shortcuts. Maybe you value achievement and as such constantly search for ways to get better or perform at a higher level. Then, logically, your objectives will be in line with your highest priority values. If your chosen objectives do not align with your values, chances are you will not be as effective in achieving the objective. For example, if health is one of your highest priority values, then your objective may be to be physically fit at age 60. All of your goals along the way should be in support of this objective. Your goals will serve as the measure for how well you are doing towards meeting your objective. Thus, if you are an athlete and seek to perform at higher and higher levels, your objective and subsequent goals will not only be in support of this, but will also closely align with your self-determined life purpose. Again, purpose, values, objectives and goals. It makes sense if you think about it. One thing leads to the next thing in a top down priority listing. This will cause you to make the greatest impact possible in alignment with what you uniquely bring to the world. 

Next, we have to take time to add in gratitude. Gratitude or thankfulness drives the journey. None of us functions in a vacuum and because of that we employ gratitude for those things that help us along the way. I once heard it said this way, “The more thankful you are, the more you will have to be thankful for in the future.” Being grateful acknowledges that we are all part of something together. We all need the help and support of others. We all have beliefs that help us live the type of life we want. No one is successful purely on their own. Gratitude acknowledges that most clearly and distinctly. 

The final puzzle piece ultimately responsible for our success or failure is our own beliefs. Beliefs fueled by our life purpose in alignment with our highest priority values are the most powerful and impactful. Beliefs held outside of that formula will lack the depth of influence necessary to make them worthwhile. They won’t resonate with us at our core. But, beliefs based on our life purpose and highest values will have the permanence needed to maintain them all the way through to living out our dreams in our present reality. Top down prioritizing represents the best way to get to where we want to get. Prioritize, plan, progress and produce. Live out your life’s dreams. 

IntentOne

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